The biggest difference between a beginner and an intermediate player isn't knowledge — it's having a thinking process. Here's a structured approach to finding good moves in any position.
Step 1: What Did My Opponent Just Do?
Before thinking about your own move, understand your opponent's last move. Ask yourself: What does it threaten? What does it improve? What weaknesses does it create? This single habit will eliminate most blunders from your games.
Step 2: Scan for Tactics
Before making a positional move, check if there's a tactical opportunity. Look for checks, captures, and threats (in that order). These "forcing moves" are the backbone of chess tactics.
The CCT Method
Checks: Can you give check? Check is the most forcing move — the opponent must respond. Captures: Can you capture something valuable? Threats: Can you threaten something your opponent must deal with?
Step 3: Evaluate the Position
If there are no tactics, take a moment to assess: Who has better piece activity? Who has a safer king? Who controls more space? Are there any weak pawns or squares? This tells you whether to play aggressively or defensively.
Step 4: Make a Plan
Based on your evaluation, choose a plan. Good plans target weaknesses, improve your worst piece, or prepare a pawn break. Your plan doesn't need to be complex — even "I'll put my knight on that good square" is a valid plan.
Step 5: Choose a Move
Find a move that fits your plan. Consider 2-3 candidate moves and briefly calculate the consequences of each. Pick the one that best serves your plan while being tactically safe.
Step 6: Blunder Check
Before pressing the clock, do one final scan. Is my move safe? Am I leaving anything undefended? Can my opponent play a check, capture, or threat that ruins my position? This 5-second habit saves countless games.
Build This Into Muscle Memory
At first, this thinking process feels slow and mechanical. With practice, it becomes automatic. Chess puzzles in Travel Chess are perfect for training steps 1-3 (reading the position and finding tactics). Over time, your "chess intuition" develops from having seen thousands of patterns.